
Earthjustice Action Blasts Senate Republicans’ Actions Nullifying Land Management Plans During Government Shutdown
WASHINGTON, DC—During this week’s continued government shutdown, the U.S. Senate passed three resolutions utilizing the Congressional Review Act to nullify three Bureau of Land Management land use plans in Alaska, North Dakota, and the Powder River Basin in Montana. BLM resource management plans are land management plans created through extensive community involvement that guide BLM’s decision-making on appropriate uses of public lands, balancing conservation, recreation, grazing, and industrial uses. All three resolutions previously passed the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this year.
In response, Earthjustice Action Legislative Director of the Lands, Wildlife, and Oceans Program Addie Haughey issued the following statement:
“While federal workers experience furloughs and uncertainty, Tribal nations face funding shortfalls, and waste and trash pile up at our national parks, Senate Republicans are putting the interests of polluting industries over the American people. They’re using precious time better spent on solving the funding crisis they created to instead give another handout to oil, gas, coal, and mining interests seeking sweetheart deals and unfettered access to our public lands. It’s clear where their priorities lie. Instead of doing the bidding of their favored industries, we need Republicans to join with Democrats and reopen the government.”